Alright for those who are not from the South(I'm not, but I read enough articles to know some Southern recipes) Hoppin' Johns is a dish typically served on New Years. The black eyed peas in Hoppin' Johns represent good luck and Hoppin' Johns are typically served on rice with collard greens and ham. Well, since I don't eat ham and I don't have collard greens currently in the kitchen I decided to make a vegetarian version of the dish. That and I had all the ingredients. So there.
Here is how you make vegetarian Hoppin' Johns....
You'll need:
*1.25 cups of black eyed peas, dried. (if you're in a jam, just use 1.25 cups of canned organic black eyed peas--you'll be fine)
*4 cups of water
*1.5 cups of chopped onion
*1 clove garlic (fuck that I put in 3)
*1 bay leaf
*1/2 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
*1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
*8 oz. tempeh
*1 tbsp of soy sauce
Soak the peas overnight. Or boil them for 2 minutes, cover and let them stand for 1 hour.
Drain the beans, set this off to the side.
Start up the brown rice.
In a heated medium sized sauce pan put in a little bit of olive oil. Put in your onion and garlic and let that heat up until the onions are translucent. Put in the beans (if you're doing canned beans just toss them in there with the juice) and toss in the water. Add bay leaf, cayenne and black pepper. Get this to a boil, cover and reduce the heat and cook for 1 hour. Stir when you feel like it.
Get your tempeh and brush on the soy sauce on both sides. I actually thought this wasn't enough so I winded up using about 3 tablespoons of soy sauce. Chop the tempeh up in bite sized pieces and toss that into the bean pot. Cook for another hour, covered. Stir more frequently as you're going to loss some of that water and burning the beans is more likely. Remove bay leaf and add salt, if that's your thing.
Serve with rice and lots of vegetables and you're good to go!
Overall I would definitely make this again. Easy to make but the only draw-back is the time....if you're super hungry you'll be eating your hand by the time this is done! It could have used more spices--I think next time I may add some oregano and/or thyme...
Monday, November 8, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Japanese Curry Rice
There is a lot of wiggle room with this recipe so you don't have to follow it by
the book--customize it to your taste but here is a good foundation to go by....
You will need....
2 cups of brown rice (or white...I guess)
Olive oil
3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp of minced ginger (if you have to use powdered ginger use 1 tsp)
1 yellow onion (if you like the taste of onion, get a big one....if not get a
small one), finely died
2 very large and in charge carrots, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
3 yellow Yukon potatoes (the ones that are about the size of your fist or
smaller), NOT PEELED and diced into bite sized pieces
whatever other veges, like peas or corn, you'd like to have in your curry....if
you're going to add more then scale down the other veges too
2 1/2 c. of vegetable stock
2 curry blocks (you can find them at the international section usually and they
vary by degree of spicy-ness, I usually get S&B Golden Curry mild)
Honey
Salt
Pepper
1 block of tofu, medium-firm
Alright, let's get cooking:
1.) Heat up a large sauce pan on low heat, at about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Throw
in the garlic and ginger. Stir it around for about 3 minutes or until you can
smell garlic
2.) Add onion, stir that around in the oil/garlic/ginger goodness. Crank up the
heat to medium, cover the pot and let those onions caramelize for 10-15 minutes.
The onions should be a golden brown color when they are caramelized. Occasionally
stir.
3.) Toss in the potatoes and carrots, crank up the high to medium-high, cover
the pot and let them saute for about 10 minutes. Occasionally stir them.
4.) Add the vegetable stock, crank up the heat to high, cover the pot and let
that simmer/boil for 20 minutes.
5.) Take your curry blocks and chop them up. Add to the mixture and stir to
melt. It will be hot but taste it and make sure that's enough curry for you. If
it's not, add more!
6.) Add honey to taste. I'd start with just a drizzle, a little goes a long way
and the curry will be a little sweet because of the caramelized onions. Add salt
and pepper to taste.
7.) You can even add a little soy sauce or Worcester sauce, play around with it
if you're not happy with the taste.
8.) Once when you're satisfied with the taste add chopped up tofu and gently
stir that into the curry.
Serve with cooked rice and enjoy!
(oh yes and get the Tupperware out because there will be left overs)
the book--customize it to your taste but here is a good foundation to go by....
You will need....
2 cups of brown rice (or white...I guess)
Olive oil
3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp of minced ginger (if you have to use powdered ginger use 1 tsp)
1 yellow onion (if you like the taste of onion, get a big one....if not get a
small one), finely died
2 very large and in charge carrots, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
3 yellow Yukon potatoes (the ones that are about the size of your fist or
smaller), NOT PEELED and diced into bite sized pieces
whatever other veges, like peas or corn, you'd like to have in your curry....if
you're going to add more then scale down the other veges too
2 1/2 c. of vegetable stock
2 curry blocks (you can find them at the international section usually and they
vary by degree of spicy-ness, I usually get S&B Golden Curry mild)
Honey
Salt
Pepper
1 block of tofu, medium-firm
Alright, let's get cooking:
1.) Heat up a large sauce pan on low heat, at about 2 tbsp of olive oil. Throw
in the garlic and ginger. Stir it around for about 3 minutes or until you can
smell garlic
2.) Add onion, stir that around in the oil/garlic/ginger goodness. Crank up the
heat to medium, cover the pot and let those onions caramelize for 10-15 minutes.
The onions should be a golden brown color when they are caramelized. Occasionally
stir.
3.) Toss in the potatoes and carrots, crank up the high to medium-high, cover
the pot and let them saute for about 10 minutes. Occasionally stir them.
4.) Add the vegetable stock, crank up the heat to high, cover the pot and let
that simmer/boil for 20 minutes.
5.) Take your curry blocks and chop them up. Add to the mixture and stir to
melt. It will be hot but taste it and make sure that's enough curry for you. If
it's not, add more!
6.) Add honey to taste. I'd start with just a drizzle, a little goes a long way
and the curry will be a little sweet because of the caramelized onions. Add salt
and pepper to taste.
7.) You can even add a little soy sauce or Worcester sauce, play around with it
if you're not happy with the taste.
8.) Once when you're satisfied with the taste add chopped up tofu and gently
stir that into the curry.
Serve with cooked rice and enjoy!
(oh yes and get the Tupperware out because there will be left overs)
Monday, September 13, 2010
A new snack that I really like.
This snack actually fills me up and it's not that bad for you.
All you need:
1 slice of Ezekiel bread
A few tablespoons of diced tomatoes
Some bits of basil if you like basil
Light cheese
Take bread, toast it. Put tomatoes on it. Now sprinkle some fresh basil. Add light cheese. Eat it.
Okay I'll admit I ate two of these but it's better than chips.
All you need:
1 slice of Ezekiel bread
A few tablespoons of diced tomatoes
Some bits of basil if you like basil
Light cheese
Take bread, toast it. Put tomatoes on it. Now sprinkle some fresh basil. Add light cheese. Eat it.
Okay I'll admit I ate two of these but it's better than chips.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Peeps Puffs
LOL this is kinda nasty and good at the same time. I mean, PEEPS. They have a half live of like 8 billion years....and yet--this recipe is not half bad. Happy Easter!
Peeps Puffs
Marshmallow Peeps....the chicks fit the best
Vanilla pudding (if you are in a jam--snack pak vanilla pudding)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
One cup semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 teaspoons light corn syrup
3 teaspoons milk
Directions:
Turn oven on to 400 degrees
In medium saucepan, melt butter. When melted, add water and bring to a boil.
Add flour and salt at once and stir vigorously.
Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate.
Remove from heat and cool for about five minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition, until smooth.
Drop batter by heaping tablespoons 3" apart onto a greased baking sheet. Shape into ovals with greased fingers.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.
Remove from oven, split and remove soft dough inside. Cool on wire
rack.
Put teaspoon of pudding and a Peeps into the center of the base and cover.
Prepare chocolate glaze by heating the semisweet chocolate chips,
butter or margarine, light corn syrup a milk over low heat in a saucepan.
Stir frequently until melted and smooth.
Peeps Puffs
Marshmallow Peeps....the chicks fit the best
Vanilla pudding (if you are in a jam--snack pak vanilla pudding)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
One cup semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 teaspoons light corn syrup
3 teaspoons milk
Directions:
Turn oven on to 400 degrees
In medium saucepan, melt butter. When melted, add water and bring to a boil.
Add flour and salt at once and stir vigorously.
Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that doesn't separate.
Remove from heat and cool for about five minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition, until smooth.
Drop batter by heaping tablespoons 3" apart onto a greased baking sheet. Shape into ovals with greased fingers.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.
Remove from oven, split and remove soft dough inside. Cool on wire
rack.
Put teaspoon of pudding and a Peeps into the center of the base and cover.
Prepare chocolate glaze by heating the semisweet chocolate chips,
butter or margarine, light corn syrup a milk over low heat in a saucepan.
Stir frequently until melted and smooth.
Spoon glaze over cream puffs and refrigerate until set.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Cool as a cucumber
Here is a recipe for Sunomono...a tasty cucumber salad!
Ingredients:
-2 medium sized english cucumbers--they should be nice and crisp
(or you can get 1 small daikon radish and 1 english cucumber)
-2 1/2 TBSP of rice vinegar
-2 1/2 TBSP of marin
-2 TBSP of sugar
-1 tsp of salt
Prep:
Peel the cucumber or radish and slice into thin slices. This is where a mandolin is helpful! Salt the cucumber/radish and wait for 5-10 minutes. Wash off the cucumber/radish slics and drain the water through a strainer. Mix the vinegar and marin in a cup. Pour the liquid mixture over the cucumber and daikon slices. Set aside at least 15 minutes before serving.
Domo arigatou gozaimasu! (thank you very much!)
Ingredients:
-2 medium sized english cucumbers--they should be nice and crisp
(or you can get 1 small daikon radish and 1 english cucumber)
-2 1/2 TBSP of rice vinegar
-2 1/2 TBSP of marin
-2 TBSP of sugar
-1 tsp of salt
Prep:
Peel the cucumber or radish and slice into thin slices. This is where a mandolin is helpful! Salt the cucumber/radish and wait for 5-10 minutes. Wash off the cucumber/radish slics and drain the water through a strainer. Mix the vinegar and marin in a cup. Pour the liquid mixture over the cucumber and daikon slices. Set aside at least 15 minutes before serving.
Domo arigatou gozaimasu! (thank you very much!)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
More from the archives and IT HAS MEAT!!!!
This was from back in the day when I justified eating PORK (faints) for one day. I really wanted to try using prosciutto in a dish for a party I was hosting. I'll admit--it was awesome.
The sinful recipe:
8 Black mission figs
1/2 blue cheese, cut into cubes
8 prosciutto slices (get 1/4 lbs of this stuff, have it thinly sliced, cut 4 of them in half lengthwise)
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
Prep:
Preheat grill. You will need medium to high heat. The key is to crisp the prosciutto quickly and leave the blue cheese just melted with the inner part of the fig cool in temperature.
Cut the figs in half and place a piece of blue cheese on each fig half. Wrap the prosciutto around each fig half, covering the cheese. The ends of the prosciutto should overlap.
Grill each piece until the prosciutto begins to color and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill, lightly dizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Serve warm.
The sinful recipe:
8 Black mission figs
1/2 blue cheese, cut into cubes
8 prosciutto slices (get 1/4 lbs of this stuff, have it thinly sliced, cut 4 of them in half lengthwise)
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
Prep:
Preheat grill. You will need medium to high heat. The key is to crisp the prosciutto quickly and leave the blue cheese just melted with the inner part of the fig cool in temperature.
Cut the figs in half and place a piece of blue cheese on each fig half. Wrap the prosciutto around each fig half, covering the cheese. The ends of the prosciutto should overlap.
Grill each piece until the prosciutto begins to color and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill, lightly dizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Serve warm.
From the archives....
Melon Salad--12 servings
Yes....I know MELONS....they are grossly out of season right now but I managed to dig up this recipe from long ago. Enjoy!
1/3 c honey
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 c orange juice
3 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP chopped fresh mint leaves
4 c. cantaloupe balls
2 c. honeydew melon balls
2 c. watermelon balls
Prep:
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine honey with sugar. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds; remove and stir. Microwave 30 seconds long until sugar dissolves.
Stir and let it stand for 10 minutes (why I don't know)
To sugar mixture add OJ, lemon juice, and mint leaves and mix well.
Place melon balls in large serving bowl and pour honey mixture over. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately or cover and refrig. until serving time.
MMM so refreshing on a hot day! :)
Yes....I know MELONS....they are grossly out of season right now but I managed to dig up this recipe from long ago. Enjoy!
1/3 c honey
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 c orange juice
3 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP chopped fresh mint leaves
4 c. cantaloupe balls
2 c. honeydew melon balls
2 c. watermelon balls
Prep:
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine honey with sugar. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds; remove and stir. Microwave 30 seconds long until sugar dissolves.
Stir and let it stand for 10 minutes (why I don't know)
To sugar mixture add OJ, lemon juice, and mint leaves and mix well.
Place melon balls in large serving bowl and pour honey mixture over. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately or cover and refrig. until serving time.
MMM so refreshing on a hot day! :)
Recipe after hiatus
Holy cow it's been nearly a year since I contributed to this blog--what have I been doing?!
Anyhow the other night I decided to cook something inspired by a recent Portland trip. So without further ado here is the recipe.
Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh Meal: cornmeal crusted tempeh, served with pinto beans, corn, black lentils on a bed of sauteed greens and dressed with Tofu-Cilantro "sour cream". Phew what a mouthful but it will be worth it! The dish in Portland also had quinoa but I didn't feel like making that this time. Additionally the dish had a "pumpkin seed relish"--I didn't think that would be a hit with James (I was already pushing my luck) so I omitted that--point being, do whatever you like!
The "sour cream" can be made any time because it's delicious and can be put on everything. I recommend making this a day in advance--one less thing to worry about, right?
Vegan Sour Cream Recipe with Cilantro
Makes about three cups
* 1 pound silken tofu (Isa says – not the vacuum packed kind!)
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from one lime)
* 1 tablespoon of agave nectar or 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 cups loosely packed FRESH cilantro, with leaves and stems (you can half the amount if you’re not a cilantro fiend like I am)
1. Remove tofu from packaging and squeeze gently to remove any excess water. Place in a blender or food processor along with the lime juice, agave, and salt. Blend until smooth.
2. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat, and add garlic and olive oil. Cook gently for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not burn the garlic… you want a nice, blonde-brown color. Add to tofu mixture and blend again. Add cilantro and blend until “smooth and light green with some flecks of dark green.” Don’t forget to scrape down the sides.
3. Add more salt and lime to taste, then transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill for at least thirty minutes.
Now the Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh. This will take 1 hour and 10 minutes of your time. Plan accordingly.
Serves 4
2 8-ounce packages tempeh, each cut into four triangles
1/3 cup wheat-free tamari
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
3 slices of fresh ginger
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
pinch of sea salt
coconut oil (or olive oil)
Preheat oven to 350 F
Place tempeh triangles in baking dish. In small bowl, whisk together the tamari, 1/2 cup water, agave nectar, garlic, and ginger and pour over the tempeh (you can also do this the day before). Cover and bake for 1 hour, turning tempeh halfway through. While this is going on, you can make the sour cream recipe or you can get prepped for the kale, beans, rice, quinoa, whatever. After an hour remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a large shallow bowl, mix together the cornmeal, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, cumin, and sea salt. Dip the tempeh pieces into the cornmeal mixture to coat. At this point I would put on the beans, rice and lentils onto the stove because you're almost done.
In large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the cooked tempeh until golden brown, about a minute on each side. Add additionally oil if necessary.
Remove from heat.
Now the beans, corn and black lentils
-All supplied from Trader Joe's (blushes) so just reheat per directions on can or bag. Who said I had time to make everything from scratch?
The kale (or chard or spinach...go nuts!):
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup diced, onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 cups kale, washed
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add the onions and cook until tender but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the kale, salt and pepper and toss with the olive oil and garlic until the kale begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture. Remove from the skillet.
Kale is your bottom layer, beans, rice and black lentils and whatever you decide to throw in is your middle layer, and finally the tempeh is popped on the top (I put 4 triangles) and dressed with the sour cream. MMMM....yummy!
And yes, this is vegan! Now go cook you hippy!
Anyhow the other night I decided to cook something inspired by a recent Portland trip. So without further ado here is the recipe.
Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh Meal: cornmeal crusted tempeh, served with pinto beans, corn, black lentils on a bed of sauteed greens and dressed with Tofu-Cilantro "sour cream". Phew what a mouthful but it will be worth it! The dish in Portland also had quinoa but I didn't feel like making that this time. Additionally the dish had a "pumpkin seed relish"--I didn't think that would be a hit with James (I was already pushing my luck) so I omitted that--point being, do whatever you like!
The "sour cream" can be made any time because it's delicious and can be put on everything. I recommend making this a day in advance--one less thing to worry about, right?
Vegan Sour Cream Recipe with Cilantro
Makes about three cups
* 1 pound silken tofu (Isa says – not the vacuum packed kind!)
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from one lime)
* 1 tablespoon of agave nectar or 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 2 cups loosely packed FRESH cilantro, with leaves and stems (you can half the amount if you’re not a cilantro fiend like I am)
1. Remove tofu from packaging and squeeze gently to remove any excess water. Place in a blender or food processor along with the lime juice, agave, and salt. Blend until smooth.
2. Heat a small pan over medium-low heat, and add garlic and olive oil. Cook gently for three minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not burn the garlic… you want a nice, blonde-brown color. Add to tofu mixture and blend again. Add cilantro and blend until “smooth and light green with some flecks of dark green.” Don’t forget to scrape down the sides.
3. Add more salt and lime to taste, then transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill for at least thirty minutes.
Now the Cornmeal Crusted Tempeh. This will take 1 hour and 10 minutes of your time. Plan accordingly.
Serves 4
2 8-ounce packages tempeh, each cut into four triangles
1/3 cup wheat-free tamari
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 clove garlic, minced
3 slices of fresh ginger
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
pinch of sea salt
coconut oil (or olive oil)
Preheat oven to 350 F
Place tempeh triangles in baking dish. In small bowl, whisk together the tamari, 1/2 cup water, agave nectar, garlic, and ginger and pour over the tempeh (you can also do this the day before). Cover and bake for 1 hour, turning tempeh halfway through. While this is going on, you can make the sour cream recipe or you can get prepped for the kale, beans, rice, quinoa, whatever. After an hour remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
In a large shallow bowl, mix together the cornmeal, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, cumin, and sea salt. Dip the tempeh pieces into the cornmeal mixture to coat. At this point I would put on the beans, rice and lentils onto the stove because you're almost done.
In large skillet, heat a couple tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook the cooked tempeh until golden brown, about a minute on each side. Add additionally oil if necessary.
Remove from heat.
Now the beans, corn and black lentils
-All supplied from Trader Joe's (blushes) so just reheat per directions on can or bag. Who said I had time to make everything from scratch?
The kale (or chard or spinach...go nuts!):
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup diced, onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 cups kale, washed
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add the onions and cook until tender but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the kale, salt and pepper and toss with the olive oil and garlic until the kale begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture. Remove from the skillet.
Kale is your bottom layer, beans, rice and black lentils and whatever you decide to throw in is your middle layer, and finally the tempeh is popped on the top (I put 4 triangles) and dressed with the sour cream. MMMM....yummy!
And yes, this is vegan! Now go cook you hippy!
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